New Report: "Single Search: The Quest for the Holy Grail"

22 August 2011

This report highlights successful strategies in providing a single point of access to library, archive and museum collections.

In the era of global search engines, users are often puzzled by the realization that they can search the Internet through a single interface, yet the resources of universities and other institutions are often compartmentalized in a plethora of informational silos, each with its own dedicated system, search categories and user interfaces. Many institutions want to make the breadth of their local resources easily discoverable regardless of where and how the resources are managed.

To address this desire, OCLC Research facilitated a working group of nine single search implementers through discussions about the opportunities for, and obstacles to, integrating single search access across an institution. Members of this group told their stories, identified issues, and acknowledged similarities and differences in their approaches. This brief report summarizes those discussions and highlights the emerging practices in providing single search access to an institution's collections. The goal of the report is to foster successful single search implementations by sharing the experience of the working group with those who are just beginning to plan single search implementations.

This report is the latest in a series of OCLC Research reports about how to increase access to special collections that have resulted from our work under the thematic focus of Mobilizing Unique Materials.

We are a worldwide library cooperative, owned, governed and sustained by members since 1967. Our public purpose is a statement of commitment to each other—that we will work together to improve access to the information held in libraries around the globe, and find ways to reduce costs for libraries through collaboration.